Page 7 of A Family Affair: The Plan
He looked away, waited until he’d gathered his thoughts and a proper response so he didn’t spit out what rested in his soul.How can I do that when I don’t trust people any longer? When I’m always looking for another story tucked inside the one they’re selling?He cleared his throat, worked up a half smile. “I’ll try, Mimi, but don’t expect me to sit down and share my life with this person or think I’m going to accept whatever she’s peddling without doing my own vetting.”
The wink and the laugh that followed said she liked that response. “I would expect no less from you. I like to believe I’m the shrewd one, but people have hoodwinked me a time or two, and it’s good to have a second pair of eyes. Pop Benito is backing off a bit to let Harry Blacksworth take over his role as Godfatherof Magdalena. But Harry’s still in training and he’s too kind sometimes. You’ll have a good eye and after what you’ve been through, you’ll make sure I’m not missing anything… Like the ‘real’ story or another reason for her to be here.”
Did that mean Mimi had her own suspicions regarding this woman or was she just giving Sam a job and hoping he’d come up empty so he could embrace the universe again? Hard to tell, but it was not too soon to begin vetting the woman who’d be sharing his space for thirty days. “What did you say her last name was again? And what company is she representing?”
Two hours later, Sam leaned back against the pillows on his bed. He’d searched the Internet for Hope Newland. The woman’s image popped up; hazel eyes, high cheekbones, strong nose, tiny cleft in her chin. Sam studied the dark hair pulled into a bun. He bet she straightened it because it was way too perfect to be natural. The pearls said sophisticated and polished. Sam studied Hope Newland’s features; she had the same almond-shaped eyes and skin tone as Celeste. Her lips were fuller, the tiny cleft in her chin less pronounced. But the smile that boasted a combination of composure, confidence, and determination? That reminded him of his ex-wife and that was going to be a huge problem because Sam didn’t need another reminder of how he’d screwed up his life.
3
Mimi Pendergrass had welcomed a lot of visitors to the Heart Sent over the years, and each had brought their own unique personality to the bed-and-breakfast. Some were guarded, and skeptical, some chatty, others lovelorn and confused. She’d like to think the bed-and-breakfast had provided a safe haven for them, and the meals she’d shared with each one had been comforting, perhaps even enlightening. Pop told her that while he might not be the Godfather of Magdalena any longer and she may never have taken that title, they both still had work to do.
We’ve been walking this earth a long time, Mimi, he’d said.And we know a thing or three about what makes a solid relationship and how a person can have every material good in the world, but if he isn’t at peace with who he is and what he stands for, he’s emptier than a dried gourd. It’s our job to help who we can, listen, and, if necessary, give a gentle nudge so they can figure out how to get where they need to be,
So very true.
Her newest challenge sat across from her at the moment, devouring fresh-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies. Nothinglike chocolate chip cookies and a cold glass of hibiscus tea to make a person smile and drop their guard. And that’s exactly why she’d set the plate on the table in front of Sam. The boy used to be lighthearted, talkative,happy, but since he’d returned to Magdalena with a chip on his shoulder the size of a watermelon, there hadn’t been a spec of anything close to “happy” in his words. As for “talking”, it went no further than discussions on house renovations, dogs and cats, and his preference for deep dish pizza over thin crust. Mimi had tried to push a bit further into the personal area, but he wouldn’t budge. Not yet, but she wasn’t giving up on him.
The young man had taken a few missteps in the “family and relationship” area, trusted the wrong person, turned his back on his family…become someone he didn’t recognize. That didn’t mean he shouldn’t have another chance to get it right, but darn it all, he had to stop punishing himself for his past choices. Not many men would have been able to see through the dazzle and movie-star beauty of a woman who insisted she only wanted to make him happy. What a shame Sam didn’t realize what she really meant wasI’ll TELL you what makes you happy.
But there came a time when a person had to accept what had happened and forgive himself for his part in it. And maybe open his heart to the possibility of finding someone who didn’t define happiness for him but who actuallycaredabout makinghimhappy. Now that would be a sight and a blessing. Mimi would always remember this afternoon when Sam’s “blessing” walked into the Heart Sent. Tall, elegant, auburn hair pulled into a chignon, hazel eyes. Oh, she was a looker, and talk about class? Even without the pearls and silk shirt, there was an air about her that clung to a person like her citrus scent when she walked into a room.
The next thirty days at the Heart Sent would be very interesting. Mimi smiled, extended a hand toward the woman.“You must be Hope. Why don’t you set your luggage aside and join us in the kitchen for a snack?”
“Thank you, Mrs. Pendergrass.” The firm handshake exuded confidence and a certain air about her.
“Please, call me Mimi. The other guest is in the kitchen. I told him while you’re here we’ll be taking meals in the dining room.” She laughed, shook her head. “He insisted cookies and iced tea aren’t a meal.” Another laugh, a sigh. “Chocolate chip. Fresh out of the oven. We best get in there before he eats all the cookies!”
The split-second hesitation and the look on the woman’s face indicated she didn’t know if Mimi was serious or joking. “I don’t want to interrupt anything. If you?—”
Mimi waved a hand toward the direction of the kitchen. “Goodness, you aren’t interrupting anything. Sam and I welcome a newcomer.” The new guest entered the kitchen first, giving Mimi a perfect view of what happened next. Sam glanced up from his phone, and there was no denying the split-second interest and surprise as he took in the new guest. But if one weren’t watching, they would have missed that interest as he cleared his throat, pushed back his chair and stood. “Hi, I’m Sam Harrington, Mimi’s long-term guest.” No smile. No humor. Just fact.
Hope hadn’t moved from her position next to the kitchen table. Mimi stepped around her, darted a glance at her face. Was the woman uncomfortable? Nervous? Maybe shy? Or was that uncomfortable look something else? Time would tell and Mimi would be here to witness it.
“Hope Newland.” The full lips pulled into an almost smile. “I’m here for the next thirty days.” She turned to Mimi, spoke in a quiet but serious voice. “Are we the only guests?”
Ah, she did not seem pleased with that possibility. Now why would that be? Mimi nodded, gestured to the chair next to Sam. “Indeed, you are. I’d say you have the best of both worlds. Nottoo much commotion, enough quiet to hear your thoughts, and you and I will have quite a bit of time to talk about the Heart Sent.”
The almost smile inched wider, her features relaxed. “I do look forward to that.”
No missing the culture in this woman’s voice, or the way Sam studied her as though he’d been assessing and analyzing the woman since she stepped into the dining room. What would that assessment look like? Mimi hoped he didn’t place Hope Newland in the same category as his ex-wife because not every beautiful, sophisticated woman had a selfish, cruel streak. Of course, Sam might not consider that, but then again, he might be drawn in by the woman’s beauty, no matter how hard he tried to fight it.
The Heart Sentprovided its residents a combination of nostalgia and memories that told their own story from the photographs hanging in the hallway to the albums stacked on the table in the sitting room. One need only venture into the sitting room, settle onto a couch plumped with overstuffed, floral pillows and peruse the albums of happily-ever-after couples to feel the nostalgia and the memories.
Pastels created a calm in the bed-and-breakfast and if one ventured to the dining room, the lace tablecloth, cherry hutch, and bouquet of silk flowers as a centerpiece added to the charm. The kitchen was a welcome respite of comfort, smells, and coziness that made a person yearn for simpler times. This bed-and-breakfast wasnothinglike the one where Hope had lived as a child. The fresh-baked aromas pulled her in, made her consider spending time in the kitchen where stove top andmicrowave ready weren’t the only choices. Last year, she’d taken a cooking class where she’d learned to make crepes. Hope had wanted Kent to attend the class with her, but he’d merely smiled and claimed the taste tester spot.Sorry, but my schedule’s too busy.Her ex had always been “too busy” for suggestions that didn’t advance his career or personal pursuits. She should not have been okay with that, and the fact that she was, said a lot about their “relationship” and its shaky foundation.
Hope pushed aside her ex and thought about offering to help Mimi this morning with breakfast. It would provide the perfect opportunity to learn more about how the woman ran the place, and it would give Hope a chance to create something that did not involve contracts, spreadsheets, or negotiations. There was so much to learn from Mimi Pendergrass, from the romantic “bridal suite” that included rose petals strewn on the bed to the fresh bouquet of flowers on the nightstand, champagne, and specialty chocolates. The lace curtains, hardwood floors, fancy soaps, and linen hand towels were a nice touch as well. But it was the woman who possessed the ability to pull a person in with genuine warmth and curiosity, as though she truly cared about them.
How to capturethat?
The only way to have a shot at it was to spend more time with Mimi, and hopefully less with the other guest. Sam Harrington, who had the room next to hers, wasn’t big on small talk or the meaning of “cordial”. And why had he been studying her as though she had an ulterior motive for visiting Magdalena, one that was unwelcome and detrimental to the town?
At least he hadn’t hung around longer than the time it took to finish a cookie and gulp down his tea. It was obvious the man didn’t care for politeness or idle chit chat, even though Hope was the only other guest at the bed-and-breakfast. Good, because she only had thirty days to determine the suitability ofMagdalena as a model for future bed-and-breakfasts and didn’t need distractions who weren’t on the “must meet” list. Sam Harrington wasn’t an influencer like others on her list, and that made him irrelevant.
Hope should have realized a man like that should never be considered irrelevant, but for someone who’d been taught to analyze and formulate opinions based on data and spreadsheets, she’d missed it with Sam Harrington. That was a huge mistake, one she’d discover soon enough. For the next forty minutes, Hope perused her files and waited for Mimi to join her in the dining room. When the woman appeared with a tray carrying two mugs of coffee and a plate of blueberry muffins, Hope smiled, tried to calculate the calories and grams of fat in one muffin. If she weren’t careful, she’d be a size larger by the time she left town. Still, there was no refusing Mimi’s persuasive tendencies or the smell of her blueberry muffins.
Mimi set the tray on the table, handed Hope a mug. “Fresh brewed, perfect for a chilly morning.” She slid into the chair next to Hope, pointed to the muffins. “They just came out of the oven.”
“They smell delicious.” One muffin, that’s all she’d permit herself, and she’d take a long walk after she and Mimi finished chatting.Andshe’d refuse the next offer of sweets, and she’d?—
